How to Wash Feather Pillows Clean

Fluffing your feather pillows throughout the drying process removes bunches.

Parasites such as dust mites, lice and fleas thrive in bedding, which makes your feather pillows an ideal environment for such pests. The feather interior of pillows is typically protected by a pillow encasement; however, feather pillows still benefit from annual washing. You can achieve sound, clean sleep when your head hits the pillow after sprucing up your bedding at home to prevent infestations and to remove stains or odors.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 1/2 cup gentle laundry detergent
• Two feather pillows
• 2 tennis balls
• Drying machine (optional)
• Clothesline (optional)
• Clothesline clips (optional)

1. Set your wash machine to the permanent press cycle. Turn the wash machine on and let it fill with water. Add 1/2 cup of a gentle laundry detergent and allow the water to get sudsy.

2. Stop the wash machine and add at least two feather pillows, placing them across from each other. This helps the machine stay balanced because the feathers get heavy once wet, offsetting the steadiness of the machine when washing one feather pillow at a time.

3. Submerge the pillows in the sudsy water and allow them to soak for two to three hours. Start the wash machine and run the feather pillows through the wash and rinse cycle. Set a second rinse cycle and rinse the feather pillows again to remove excess water.

4. Shake the feather pillows to reduce clumps of feathers. Place two, clean tennis balls in your dryer to reduce feather clumping while drying. Dry the feather pillows in the dryer for three hours or until dry on a cool temperature setting, or hang them on a clothesline with clothesline clips to air-dry in direct sunlight.

5. Fluff the pillows periodically throughout the drying process for even feather distribution. Feel the pillows to ensure that the feathers are dry. Continue drying if the feathers are wet because they can mold and cause a musty scent when not fully dry.

Tips & Warnings

• The pillow encasement may feel dry to the touch; however, this does not indicate that the interior feathers are dry.

References

• Down Bedding Delights: Instructions For Cleaning Down Pillows
• "Good Housekeeping": Ask Heloise: Washing Feather Pillows